Bieler sends SKC to East finals with extra-time winner

Kansas City, KS (SportsNetwork.com) - Claudio Bieler's extra time tally held
up as the difference on Wednesday as Sporting Kansas City came away with a 3-1
second-leg and 4-3 aggregate triumph over the New England Revolution at
Sporting Park to advance to the Eastern Conference finals.

The Revolution earned a 2-1 victory at Gillette Stadium in last Saturday's
first leg, but Sporting had the better of the play in front of their home
fans and opened the scoring four minutes before the break.

Chance Myers sent a long ball into the penalty area that fell to the feet of
defender Aurelien Collin, who fired it home to put the sides back on level
terms at 2-2 on aggregate.

After the intermission, New England re-took the aggregate lead at 3-2 in the
70th minute when Kelyn Rowe whipped a free kick into the area that was
side-volleyed past Sporting goalkeeper Jimmy Nielsen with tremendous pace by
Revs forward Dimitry Imbongo.

But nine minutes later, Sporting again equalized on aggregate when Seth
Sinovic powered down the left flank and smashed it past Revs goalkeeper Matt
Reis to the far post.

Sporting had the better of the play in extra time and capitalized on a
turnover in midfield in the 113th minute as Benny Feilhaber stepped up to win
the ball and came charging down the right wing.

He sent a low cross into the area where Bieler was left unmarked to slide it
home for his first goal since September.

Sporting moves on to face the Houston Dynamo, which topped Red Bull New York
by a 4-3 aggregate score earlier on Wednesday, in the East finals, which get
underway in Houston on Saturday.